Heather's 14!

It's Heather's birthday today!!  As I think back, I remember pretty much everything about her beginning was rough.  I had her three weeks early because I got really sick and had a horrible cough and literally coughed her out.  The memories of the labor and delivery are even a little hazy because of how sick I was.  If I remember right, I woke Mike up around 4:15 a.m. and she was born around 7:00 a.m.  When I got to the hospital they gave me an antibiotic IV to help me get better and I ended up having an illergic reaction to it and got a rash all over my body.  Mike also had either food poisoning or the stomach flu that morning so he kept making trips to the bathroom.  It was all very interesting.  She was healthy, though, so all was good.  Then at three months we noticed that her head had a big flat spot on the back of it.  I took her to the doctor and they realized she had "tortacolis" which is when the muscles on one side of the neck do not develop properly and prevent the neck from being able to hold the head up properly.  So, because she could not straighten her head, whenever she was in her swing or car seat her head was always in the same spot and thus the flat spot.  Our doctor sent us to see a specialist at Primary Children's Hospital and when she saw Heather she also noticed that she had "hip displasia" (spelling??)  We began seeing a physical therapist, here in Logan, who worked with her and showed us how to do exercises at home to stretch the muscles in her neck, she got a helmet that she wore every day for 2 months to help reshape her head and a hip brace that she had to wear at night for about a month.  We went to physical therapy once a week and I took her to Primary Children's every other week to have the helmet checked and reshaped (this was done with three kids under the age of 4).  When I think about it, I can't believe I was able to do it, but it all paid off.  The doctors were very pleased with her progress.  They had told us if we didn't get things fixed right, she may have problems walking or doing any other physical activity.  So at age three when she started doing ballet, gymnastics and tumbling, I was amazed at how flexible she was and that she had no limitations.  I'm very grateful to the doctors who helped her and to my Heavenly Father for blessing us through the whole thing.

A few facts about Heather:

• Heather has always been so sweet and caring of others.  I have had so many people tell me how nice and kind she is either to themselves or their children.  She is an extremely loving person.  She can't stand it when someone is being hurt or picked on and she'll stick up for them without caring a hoot about what people might think or say about her.  She is kind and forgiving to people who are unkind to her and she really can't understand how anyone could treat people that way.  And if she thinks or knows someone is upset with her, it tears her apart.  She has find out why and rectify the situation as quickly as possible.  She is a sweetheart and a great example to me of sharing the pure love of Christ with others.
• She likes to be busy and she is a doer.  She's done ballet, gymnastics, cheer, tumbling, piano, volleyball, tap and jazz dance, student council and her favorite thing ever--basketball.  She hates to sit around and if there's a project that needs to be done, she'll do it.  She loves to plan things and carry them out.
• Heather loves animals--especially dogs.  This is very unfortunate for her since I will not even consider getting one.  The only thing she wanted for Christmas was a dog but that just couldn't happen because I won't allow dogs in the house and there is no place in our newly landscaped yard for a dog run.  She's looking forward to the day when she is old enough to move out, to a place that allows pets, and get a dog of her very own.  We've gotten her so many stuffed dogs, even a life size one, over the years I can't believe she isn't appeased, but I guess it has to poop and pee on your floors, chew up your furniture and bark non-stop to make her happy.
• She is a very spiritual person.  She bears her testimony often and sticks up for what she knows is right.  Just the other day an older girl was swearing and Heather called her on it and told her she shouldn't say those words.  The girl asked her, "Heather have you ever sworn?"  Heather told her she hadn't so she said, "Why don't you just say one swear word right now.  I won't tell anyone."  Heather said she wouldn't and walked away.  The girl wasn't offended and she knew where Heather stood on the matter and I'm sure she'll respect that in the future.
• She is our social butterfly.   She has many friends.  I can't tell you how many times I've heard, "So-and-so is my favorite person ever!"  When I tell her she just said that about another "so-and-so" she says, "I know, but I just love her or him because . . . " and she gives me a reason why they are the greatest person alive.  She loves to be with her friends.  It doesn't really matter what they are doing as long as they are together.
• She's her cousin Alyssa's best friend (Alyssa's 5) and many other children love her too.  She is a great babysitter and loves to be with kids. 

Her second trip to Disneyland.  Because the "big kids" were off riding the big rides, she got to spend some quality time with Mom and Dad.

Heather and her friend Abby.  In Kindergarten, they were the same shape and size, had the same hair color, they both took ballet and their moms even bought them the same clothes without knowing it. 

It was crazy!!

Heather and her forever friend Sadie, even though Sadie played barbershop on her hair when she was two.

 

Ariel has always been her favorite princess!

 Crazy girl!

  

Christmas dance with her friends

I'll never understand why they like to take pictures like this of themselves

Student-Faculty game at MLMS.  She's quite the baller!

Happy, Happy Birthday to you!!

We love you!